24 years of operating a clinic proves active therapy is the way to go

Albert Jan Dommerholt has been working as a physical therapist since 1983 and is the owner of a private clinic in Reken, Germany since 1987. This article tells the story of his rehabilitation clinic in the small village of Reken and how he utilizes the David Solution in a variety of ways from clinic memberships to insurance patients.

Albert Jan began utilizing the DAVID Spine concept in 1995 and incorporated the Hip & Knee concept in 1998. Since then, he has upgraded to the latest DAVID technology that incorporates the intelligent EVE cloud-based platform.

He found out about DAVID, not from a catalogue, but by experiencing the technology firsthand. “As a new clinic owner at the age of 35, I was very busy working and didn’t take care of myself, and as a result had a lot of back pain for 1,5 years”. He began looking for an active therapy method that emphasized safety and control. “I visited a clinic that had the David devices and after the 3rd treatment session I felt less pain and realized this was the solution I wanted to use in my own practice”.

Client training at the Reken physiotherapy clinic.

From trials and tribulations to success

In the beginning when marketing the DAVID exercise therapy approach, Albert Jan felt “it was difficult to create a payment model for the device-based treatment because it was a new way of doing physical therapy. No one really understood the benefits”. Nowadays, the clinic operates with four physical therapists who each see 15-20 patients daily. Overall about 400 people visit the clinic each week, and half of these are in the David treatment program.

The clinic operates in a variety of ways including membership-fee, FPZ-insurance patients, and patients for manual physical therapy.

Client training on the G130 Lumbar/Thoracic Flexion device.

Clients are impressed with the program

Even in the first consultation where the therapist shows a new client the devices, they are keen on the technology. “Our clients notice an immediate benefit in the back extension because they have never felt these muscles being utilized in such a targeted manner.”

Our clients notice an immediate benefit in the back extension because they have never felt these muscles being utilized in such a targeted manner.

The neck rotation and flexion devices (G160 and G140) have also received positive feedback. “People are usually too scared to exercise their necks, but we show how the devices allow the movement to be carefully controlled, and therefore it is painless. Then they are excited to use this. They are also surprised with how the neck devices help reduce their upper back pain.”

Albert Jan feels it is important to motivate the clients and show that there is benefit from their training. “It is important that clients understand how minimal physical activity in daily life has caused their pain. From here, we can show them how this active training with David devices helps to reduce the pain points and strengthen the muscles”.